Leather-splitting machine



J. A. MEYER.

LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE. APPLlcATloN HLED ocT.9,1919.

l ,4 l 0,703, Patented Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

rim I I mgm ATTORNEY.

-J. A. MEYER.

LEATHER SPLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FlLED'ocT. 9, |919.

L41 0,703., muted Mar. 28, 1922.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOH.'

is journaled, said levers being pivotally mounted on the frame of the machine. as at 9, and operated by a rod 10 engaging` an eccentric 11 on a rock shaft 12 mounted in the machine frame. A handle 13 is connected to the rock shaft 12 for oscillating the same,

and a clamping screw 11i: carried by the handle 'll engages a segmental slot 15 in a bracket 1G and enables the handle to be clamped to the bracket to hold the rubber roll in an adjusted position.

It is a feature of my invention to provide positive drive means Vfor the ring roll in addition to the friction drive thereof provided by the rubber roll, and to so construct the ring roll that the two end rings of the roll are friotionally driven directly from the ringroll shaft while the other rings are frictionally driven from the end rings and each other, at the same time providing for relative slipping and radial movement of the individual rings upon the ring roll shaft to accommodate various speeds of travel of different portions of the hide and irregularities in the surface of the hide. For these urposes the ring roll is shown as comprising a shaft 17, below and parallel to the gage roll 3, and a plurality of similarly formed rings 18 mounted side by side on the shaft between a pair of stop collars 19 and L fixed to the shaft near the ends thereof, in any suitable manner, as by the pins 21, so as kto form in effect a continuous solid roll. The rings extending from the center of the shaft to the stop collars are respectively provided with oppositely extending spiral grooves 2S and 24, the rings between the center of the shaft and one stop collar having left-hand spiral grooves, and the rings between the conter o" the shaft and the other stop collar having right-hand spiral grooves. All of the rings 18 are otherwise identical in construction, being of the same diameter'and each ring being formed with a central opening 22 sul"- iiciently larger than the shaft 17 in diameter to allow the rings to move radially of the shaft to accommodate the passage of the largest irregularity or projection ordinarily on a hide. In one side vface of each ring 18 isY formed an annular recess 25 of a size and depth suiiicient to receive a friction spring ring 26 so that when the ring is not uni er compression it will slightly project out of the recess shown by Figure ifi of the draw'- ings. One of these friction rings is provided in each of the rings 18, and comprises a ring of resilient metalv formed with an annular groove 27 to provide two substantially 'dat and spaced parallel side portions Q8.A Une of the stop collars, in the present instance the collar 19, is preferably also formed with an annular recess 31-to receive one of the friction rings 26, similarly to the rings 18.

In. assembling the rings 1S upon the ring roll shaft a'friction ring 2G is insertedA in the annular recess 25 of each ring 1S and in the recess 31 of the stop collar 19. One of the stop collars is then fixed upon the shaft 1T and the rings 18 slid upon the shaft in the manner shown by Figures 3, et and with a friction ring 26 interposed between each two rings 18.` The other stop collar is then slipped on the shaft and forced toward the fixed stop collar to compress the spring friction rings 2G' and force the rings 18 close together. This action is continued Vuntil there is just suiiicient clearance left between the various rings 18 to allow them to indil vidually slip radially .when pressed upon by an irregularity in the hide passing between the gage roll and ring roll, after which the last stop collar is pinned to the shaft, thus lockingv the rings 1S against longitudinal movement upon the shaft. T his Vcleznancc is indicated by heavy lines between the ri 18 in Figure 5 of the drawings. i,

1When the ring roll is in position in the ina chine the peripheries of the ringe thereof frictionally engage the periphery of the rnb ber roll which isdriven in any suitable man ner (not shown). The rings are thus indi vidually; and frictionally driven from the rubber roll, andare also frictionally driven by means of the stop collars 19, 2O and friction rings 26 from theY ring roll shaft 17 which is `positively driven from the rubber roll by means of suitable gearing, such e: the gear 32 onY the rubber roll shaft, idler gear 33 and gear 341 on the ring roll shaft.

ln the operation of the device the rubber roll, ring roll, and gageV roll rotate in the direction indicated by the arrows, to feed the hide or leather A. -to t-he band knife 6. The rings of the ring roll are yieldingly held against the underside of the hide by the rubber roll, and should a projection or irregularityvin the hide, asY indicated at c in Fig. will yield radially by virtue of its loose tit upon the ring roll shaft and pressinto the rubber roll as shown by Fig. L1, the rubber roll causing the ring to assume its original position after the irregularity has passed. This displacement in no way affects the other rings which continue to rotate freely. The displaced ring is always frictionally driven from the friction rings 26 of adjacent rings and also from the rubber'roll. lt often occurs that asia hide is being fed through the n'lachine the skirts or marginal edges thereof travel faster than the thicker middle portion `which is harder to split, and the edges are pulled back or retarded by the operator. ln the usual construction of ringl roll this pulling is done Vaga-inst theV positive drive of the rings and the onlyretardation is caused by hardenough pullingto canse the hide to slip under .the ring roll and gage roll. `With my construction the friction springl ringsallow tl'ierings at the end et the shaft strike one of -the rings, said ring .rally grooved roll and Vrequire so much care to be retarded and slip baeltwardly, at the same time allowing the other rings to rotate in the usual manner to feed the hide. This is much simpler, and reduces the strain on the hide as Well as the Work incidentto pulling back on the skirts of the hide. In the use of common ring rolls in splitting machines dilliculty is encountered in preventing the rings from being tipped edge- Wise by irregularities in the hide and causing ring marks or grooves in the leather. lVith my construction the `flat sides` and spring action of the spring rings 2G hold the rings 18k in an upright position and thus prevent tilting of the rings and provide against ring marks on the hide. The stop collars l!) and 2O are prei'erably smaller in diameter than the rings 17 and not provided with spiral grooves so that they will not engage the hide to interfere with the action of the rings 18. As the ring roll rings 18 rotate, the spiral grooves 2? and 2l therein smooth the hide and stretch it from the center toivard the edges to prevent bagging or Wrinkling thereof, and as each ring is provided with t-he spiral grooves, this smoothing action takes place even at roughest places in the hide and When the rings are displaced. I thus obtain the dual advantages of av spiindependently rotatable rings. As has been explained, the rings 18 are driven from the shaft 17 through the stop collars 19 and 20 and friction spring rings 26, and t-he friction is increased by the resistance of the hide Yto the stretching action by the spiral grooves 23 and 24 Which forces the rings 18 closer together and exerts more pressure on the friction springs 25.

It ivill be understood lthat the hide or leather goes through the splitt-ing machine with the grain side uppermostor tovvard the gage roll and the flesh side under'- neath or toivard the ring roll, and that itis highly important to keep the grain side of the leather from any marring or disligurement, since it'is the side Which outermost or exposed when the leather is used. The under or flesh side of the leather' is hidden in use, and does not in opera-ting upon the leather. Heretofore the means for spreading the leather longitudinally of the rolls, in al splittingr machine, has been located upon the gage roll, and the tendency has been to mark or make impressions upon the grain side of the leather, especially in pulling back upon the lateral Vmargins of the piece of leather to retard them as has been already described, since when this is done the gage roll continues turning as a whole and must slip or 'drag over the retarded portions of the leather. It Will be noted that by putting upon the ring roll said means for spreading or stretching the leather laterally `of turning I insure that it engages the under or flesh side of the leather Where markings or im pressions do no harm, and further enable the gage roll to be smooth, thus avoiding any liability of marring or distiguring the grain side of the leather. I furthermore reduce, it not entirely eliminate, any markings or impressions upon the leather by reason of its being required to slip or drag over the spreading or stretching means on the roll, since I locate said stretching or spreading means upon a sectional roll, the sections or rings of which can rotate at different speeds or some of them even stand still With respect to others. It ivill be seen that by this construction Wlien the lateral marginal portions of the leather are retarded the rings engaging them are also retarded and there is no slip or drag between the leather and ring sections, and consequently no marking or marring of the surface of the leather, since the ring roll must be sectional, anyway, in order to accommodate unevenness in thehide. It is for this reason advantageous to transfer the stretching or spreading` means from the gage roll to the ring roll, as Well as for the reason heretofore mentioned, in order to prevent any possible marring or impressions on the grain side of the leather.

Gbviously various detail modifications and changes can be made in the construction of my ring roll Without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, and I do not desire to be understood as limiting myself eXcept as required by the following claims when construed in the light of the prior art.

Having thus described the ii1vent-ion,vvliat I claim is:

1. .In a splitting machine, the combination of a gage roll and av ring roll adapted to feed the material to be split, said ring roll having a plurality of ring sections capable of turning independently of each other and provided ivith meansv for exerting upon the material a tendency to moveA it longitudinally of the roll, means for frictimiall;7 driving said ring sectionsv` and a rubber roll engaging said ring roll.

2. In a splitting machine. the combination of af gage roll and a ring roll adapted to feed the material to be split. said ring roll comprising a plurality of ring sections capable of turning` independentlv'of each other and each having spiral grooves in its peripheral surface, means for frictionally driving said ring sections one from anothe and a rubber roll engaging said ring roll.

In a splitting machine, the combination of a gage roll and a ring roll adapted to feed the material to be split, said ring roll having a plurality of ring sections capable independently of each other and provided `With spirally disposed surface distortions adapted to exert upon the material CIK a tendency to more it longitudinally of the rolland means for frictioually driving said ringsections.

4L. In a splitting machine, the combination of a gage roll and a ring roll adapted to feed the material to be split, said ring roll comprising` a plurality of ring sections capable of yielding transversely of the ring roll independent of each other and each having spiral grooves in its peripheralsurface, means for frictionally driving said rine sections ono from another, and a ruliher roll engaging said ring roll.

5. In a splitting machine, the combination of a roll and a ring roll adapted to feed the material to be split, said ring` roll having a plurality of ring sections capable of turning independently of cach. other and providedwith spirally fIisj-iosed indentations adapted to exert upon thermaterial a tendcncy to move it longitudinelily of the roll, and means for frictionally driving said ring sections. Y 6. A ring-roll for splitting machines, comprising a plurality of transverse sections capable of turning independently of each other, and resilient members between said sections and frictionally engaging them.

7. In a ring-roll, the combination of a plurality of independent ring-sections. and spring means for frictionally driving said rings one from another.

8. In a splitting ring, the combination of a gage roll and a ring roll adapted to feed the material to be split, said ring roll comprising a plurality of ring sections capable of turning independently of each other and each adapted to exert upon the leather a tendency to move it longitudinally of the ring roll, means for frictionally driving said ring sections one from another, and arubber roll engaging said ring roll.

.5). In a ring-roll, plurality of independent rin g-sections, means for driving one of said ringsections,

and means for frictionally driving the other ring-sections from the said first-mentioned ringsection.

10. In a ring-roll, the combination of a plurality of independent ring sections, means for driving one of said sections, and means arranged between each pair of said ring-sections for frictionally driving said ring-sections from each other.

11. In a ring-roll, the combination of a plurality of ring-sections, means for driving one of said sections, and spring means arrangedV between each pair of ring-sections for frictionally driving each of said ring-sections from the next adjacent ringsection. Y

12. Inv a 'ring-roll, the combination of a plurality of ring-sections, means for driving one of saidring-sections,`and spring means for frictionally driving each of the the combination of al ring-sections from the next adjacent ringsection.

` 13. In a ring-roll, the combination ofia shaft, means for driving the shaft, a plurality of ring-sections loose on said-shaft,

and means for frictionally driving said ringsections from isaid shaft.

14. In a ring-roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving the shaft, a plurality of ring sections loose on said shaft,

'Frictionally driving the other ring-sections from the said first-mentioned ring-section.

16. In a ring-roll, the combination of a shaft, means for driving said shaft, a plurality of ring-sections loose on said shaft, means for driving one of said ring-sections from the shaft, and means between Vsaid ring-section and the next adjacent ring-seetion and between each pair of succeeding ring-sections for frictionally driving each of the ring-sections from the next adjacent ringseetion. f l

17. In a ring roll, the combination of a. shaft, a pair of spaced collars fixed on said shaft, means for rotating said shaft, a plurality of ring-sections mounted loosely on said shaft between said collars, and means for frictionally driving said ring-sections from said collars.

1S. In a ring roll, the combination with a plurality of ring-sections, of means for driving` said ringsections one from the other comprising a friction member adapted to he interposed between two adjacent ringsections and including a pair of circumferentially connected spaced and .parallel sprino rings, Y Y 19. n a ring-roll, the combination with a plurality of ring-sections, of means for driving said ring-sections one from the other comprising a friction ring Vadapted to be interposed between two adjacent ring-sections and having an interior circumferential groove forming two integral, spaced and parallel rings; Y l

20. In a splitting machine, the combination of a gage roll and a ring` roll adapted to feed the material to he split, said ring roll having a plurality ofring sections capable of turning independently of each other and provided with Vspiral grooves adapted to exert upon the Vmaterial a tendency to move it longitudinally 0f the roll, and means for frictionally driving said ring sections. Q1. In a splitting machine, the combination of a gage roll and a ring` roll. adapted grae to feed the material to be split, said ring roll comprising a plurality of ring sections capable of yielding transversely of the ring roll independent of each other and each adapted to exert upon the leather a tendency to move it longitudinally oi the ring roll, means for gtrictionally driving said ring sections one from another, and a rubber roll engaging said ring roll.

22. In a splitting machine, a roll arranged and adapted to engage the material to be split and feed it through the machine, said roll being transversely divided to form ring .sections capable of turning independently and said ring sections provided With means for exerting upon the material a tendency to move it longitudinally of the roll, and means for trictionally driving said ring sections.

23. In a splitting machine, a roll arranged and adapted to engage the material to be split and feed it through the machine, said roll beingtransversely divided to form ring sections capable of turning independently and said ring sections provided with spirally disposed surface distortions adapted to eX- ert upon the material a tendency to move it longitudinally of the roll, and means for frictionally driving said ring sections.

24. In a splitting' machine, a roll arranged and adapted to engage the material to be split and feed it through the machine, said roll being transversely divided to form ring sections capable of turning independently and said ring sections provided with spirally disposed indentations adapted to exert upon the material a tendency to move it longitudinally of the roll, and means for :Erie tionally driving said ring sections.

25. )In a` splitting machine, a roll arranged and adapted to engage the material to be split and feed it through the machine, said roll being transversely divided to form ring sections capable of turning independently and said ring sections provided with spiral grooves adapted to eXert upon the material a tendency to move it longitudinally oit the roll, and means for frictionally driving said ring sections.

JOSEPH A. MEYER. 

